Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Biger Nomin Khan Monastery Ruins
(GPS: N 45°48.346', E 97°00.544')
The official road-
side sign for these monastery ruins states that they are around 750 years old. We
doubt they are quite that old, but they are interesting nonetheless, and are fairly
extensive, with a number of mudbrick walls still standing. Now desolate, save for
scattered pieces of broken brickwork and pottery, the monastery once housed
around 500 monks. The ruins are on your left, 16km before Biger (86km from Al-
tai).
Getting There & Away
AIR
Mongolian Airlines
( 7048 4979, 9400 0715; 9am-6pm)
flies to Ulaanbaatar
(T240,000) via Bayankhongor (T110,000) at 10am on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Staff speak English. Cash only. The airport is 2km northwest of town (T4000 in a taxi).
Note that Mongolian Airlines changed its name to Hunnu Air in 2013 but at the time of
research had yet to change its branding in Altai so it still had the old Mongolian Airlines
signage at the office here.
BUS
A bus leaves every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 11am for Ulaanbaatar
(T45,000, 26 hours, 1000km) via Bayankhongor (T20,000, 371km), Arvaikheer
(T20,000, 571km), several
guanz
stops, a couple of breakdowns and a small river cross-
ing.
MINIVAN & JEEP
Minivans leave from the bus stand when full for Ulaanbaatar (T42,000, 20 hours) and
will reluctantly take passengers for Bayankhongor (T25,000) and Arvaikheer (T30,000).
Despite being on the main road to Khovd, it is quite difficult to find transport west as
passing buses/minivans are invariably full. It is possible, though.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area
For both parts of the
park
(entry fee T3000)
you will need a very reliable vehicle and an
experienced driver, and you must be completely self-sufficient with supplies of food, wa-
ter and camping gear. A ranger will probably track you down and collect park entry fees.
